Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-26
IntcrestIng ms 20 the west virginia
Debt.


birthday for direct export.
Interesting rs 10 tae West virginia
Debt.
TO the Editor Of the Dispatch:
BY going somewhat more into parti-
culars than you did in your article OF
the ODD instant in regard to "7he
West Virginia Debt" l may correct
an error in which few people have
been led by listening TO rumor that
has had some slight circulation in re-
gard TO the settlement of our debt out
side of the Riddleberger bill The ru-
NOR is that certain leading men in the
Republican party favor the payment OF
the Virginia debt by the United States,
and among them Mr.. w. M. Evarts is
named.
The fact is that certain holders of the
West Virginia certificates applied to
Congress at its last session to redeem
them as being q debt due really from
the United States, and appeared be-
fore the proper committee by counsel,
MIR. Evarts being of the counsel. And
that is all the basis there is for that re-
port. This | know, at least as TO the
fact of the petition and the argument
before the committee, because one OF
the most active of the agents told me so.
Very few Virginians will deny that
the people of the North are responsible
for the
ASTE-BRLLUM DEBT
Of the State. But only very artless
man can think for a moment that the
North will pay it any more than Gen
eral Sheridan will pay for the seventy
five grist-mills and two thousand barns,
with wheat and agricultural nipple
ments, which, according to Governor
Peirpoint, he destroyed in the Val
ley campaign of 1861, under the
"humane" order of General Grant,
slough Mr.. Blaine may be pledged by
a well-known friend of his TO have it
done when he is made President.
As to MIR. Maben, it is known to
some, and should be to all, that that
gentleman came here last winter with
his counsel to persuade our Legislature
TO a particular plan of settlement OF the
West Virginia matter. The plan in
volvod two things-first, suit in the
United States courts, Virginia to sue
West Virginia for a settlement of their
accounts, so as to ascertain the proper
ton TO be assumed as due by each I;
and, second, guarantee given by the
holders Of West Virginia certificates to
hold Virginia harmless against the con-
sequences of any judgment affecting
her in such suit. But the committee
on the debt question refused to hear
counsel on the matter, and it never got
to the House. The Legislature deter
mined not to let Virginia appear yolun-
tarily in "a court which had done her
the most cruel and shameful injustice
on more than one occasion. And they
knew that the offer to guarantee against
the Judgment of the United States
Court was not worth anything-could
not, in the nature of things, be worth
anything except as to those indi-
viduals who might sign the guarantee.
/ agree with your remark in your
comment on Governor Poirpoint's late
letter, that West Virginia will never
pay cent of this debt. Nor ought
She for she does not owe it, as will be
admitted when time and distance shall
allow of correct Judgment. The dam
age done her by the North and their
English allies has thrown the moral
burden of the debt on the shoulders of
the United States and West Virginia
may we'll refer the creditors to them.
But she does owe the State of Virginia
a sum which is of none the less moral
Obligation because she will never admit
or pay it. She owes Virginia the value
of the eminent domain now claimed
and exercised by herself. What is
meant by eminent domain is that form
of sovereignty over State i'll right Of
which she governs her citizens
and imposes taxes and derives revenue
from their property or persons, and
which makes it the duty of the State to
protect them in all their rights, civil
and political. The Constitution Of the
United States, Article w., section 3,
clause !, says plainly that "no new
State shall be formed or erected within
the jurisdiction of any other State. "
Properly. it would have taken n con-
stitutional amendment to clear the title
of West Virginia of the cloud cast on
it by this provision. But the same
usurpation that has disregarded all the
property and sovereign rights of Viz
ginia whenever it has been conducive
to policy of subjugation or humilia-
ton decreed this robbing to be right,
and now it will never be admitted nor
atoned for.
But not to press that point, which is
of no practical value, | note with salts
faction the part of Governor Peir-
points letter which says that "Weot
Virginia has not ability to pay on the
State debt -; for that touches the es-
sence OF the matter as with the point
of needle. Two things are necessary
to make it the duty Of a State to pay A
debt. "The security for State loans. $"
as MIR. Webster said truly in his letter
to Messrs. Barring & Co., '8the plight
ed faith of the State as political com
munity, resting on the same basis as
NlNn CobbDAi7hN't
governments-tha is to say, the
good faith of the government
making the loan and its ability
to fulfil its engagements" And
/ aver with rs much sincerity and AS
clear convictions as Governor Peirpoint
has in his case, that the experience Of
Virginia since 1871 has proved to the
satisfaction of all her people of all
paIties-a satisfaction repeatedly and
unanimously expressed-that she " has
not ability TO pay on the State debt. "
On that ground she stands absolved (;
and it is as inhuman to insist on her
paying all as it was in the wicked SER
want who laid hands on his fellow-ser-
want and "took him by the throat, say
ing, Pay me what thou owest, AMI
cast him into prison until he should pay
the debt-indeed, more inhuman. for
that debt was admitted. So much for
ability to pay.
As to good faith, the State of Vir-